Image sensors worn or attached on humans for imagery identification

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to image capture and identification of captured imagery. One claim recites an apparatus comprising: an image sensor configured for capturing image data, said apparatus to be worn or attached on a human so that said image sensor captures image data while said apparatus is worn or attached on the human; an analyzer configured for analyzing captured image data and to determine plural-bit identifiers for one or more objects represented in the captured image data, said analyzer is also configured for correcting for distortion in the image data; an output for communicating a determined plural-bit identifier to a remotely located network resource; and an input for receiving advertizing information associated with the determined plural-bit identifier. Of course, other claims are provided too.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/286,146, filed Nov. 23, 2005 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,444,392),which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/803,369,filed Mar. 9, 2001 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,051,086). The 09/803,369 applicationis a continuation-in-part of assignee's U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/314,648, filed May 19, 1999 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,028), which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/130,624,filed Aug. 6, 1998 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,573). This application is alsorelated to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/508,083, filed Jul. 27,1995 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,978, issued Nov. 24, 1998). Each of thesepatent documents is hereby incorporated by reference.

The subject matter of this application is generally related to that inthe assignee's U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,841,886, 5,832,119, 5,822,446 and5,841,978, and assignee's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/343,104,filed Jun. 29, 1999, and 09/571,422, filed May 15, 2000 (U.S. Pat. No.6,947,571). Each of these patent documents is hereby incorporated byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The disclosure includes a description of imaging apparatus worn orattached to humans. In some cases, the disclosure relates to use ofprinted documents to control computer systems. Exemplary documentsinclude business cards, stationary, envelopes, resumes, stickers,brochures, advertisements, and identification badges, but the disclosureis not so limited.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Over the past century, business cards have formed part of businessritual. Functionally, they serve as a record of an encounter, andprovide details of how the giver may be contacted (address, phone,e-mail, etc.).

Essentially, business cards have not changed in response to the adventof computers. Some accommodation has been made for business cards on thecomputer side, in the form of specialized scanner and optical characterrecognition (OCR) tools, by which textual data printed on cards can beread and entered into personal productivity software tools (e.g. contactmanagers, address books, datebooks, personal information managers,etc.). However, the data transferred into the personal productivitysoftware is static and unchanging.

In accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure, the graphical,background and/or textual information on a business card aresupplemented with steganographically-encoded, multi-bit binary data.When presented to a compliant sensing computer or device, the cardserves as an associated link to access further, related information. Theinformation may be maintained in an on-line database at an internetsite. Through the database, the recipient of the card may gain access toinformation that changes over time (e.g., contact information, personaldata, job title, etc.).

One aspect of the disclosure is an apparatus comprising: an image sensorconfigured for capturing image data, said apparatus to be worn orattached on a human so that said image sensor captures image data whilesaid apparatus is worn or attached on the human; an analyzer configuredfor analyzing captured image data and to determine plural-bitidentifiers for one or more objects represented in the captured imagedata, said analyzer is also configured for correcting for distortion inthe image data; an output for communicating a determined plural-bitidentifier to a remotely located network resource; and an input forreceiving advertizing information associated with the determinedplural-bit identifier.

The foregoing and additional features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more readily apparent from the following detaileddescription, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of a process according to one embodiment ofthe disclosure.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show an illustrative embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Digital watermarking is a quickly growing field of endeavor, and manytechniques are known. Generally, all seek to steganographically conveymulti-bit data ancillary to some other signal or medium.

Digital watermarking systems typically have two primary components: anencoder that embeds the watermark in a host media signal, and a decoderthat detects and reads the embedded watermark from a signal suspected ofcontaining a watermark (a suspect signal). The encoder embeds awatermark by altering the host media signal. The detector componentanalyzes a suspect signal to detect whether a watermark is present. Inapplications where the watermark encodes information, the readercomponent extracts this information from the detected watermark.

The present assignee's prior application Ser. No. 09/127,502, filed Jul.31, 1998 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,104), shows techniques by which veryfine lines can be printed on a medium to slightly change the medium'sapparent tint, while also conveying digital data. Commonly ownedapplication Ser. No. 09/074,034, filed May 6, 1998 (now U.S. Pat. No.6,449,377), details how the contours of printed imagery can be adjustedto convey digital data. (That technique can be applied to printed textcharacters, as well as the line art imagery particularly considered.).Assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,481 details how the surface of paper orother media can be textured to convey optically-detectable binary data.The Assignee's U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,841,886, 5,809,160, and the priorityapplications cited above, detail various techniques forsteganographically encoding.

Three papers by Brassil et al show other techniques for conveyingwatermark data by slight changes to printed text, “Electronic Markingand Identification Techniques to Discourage Document Copying,”Proceedings of INFOCOM '94 Conference on Computer, IEEE Comm. SocConference, Jun. 12-16, 1994, pp. 1278-1287; “Hiding Information inDocument Images,” November, 1995, 7 pages, AT&T Bell LaboratoriesTechnical Report; and “Document Marking and Identification using BothLine and Word Shifting,” INFOCOM '95.

The foregoing is just a sampling of the large literature onwatermarking. The artisan is presumed to be familiar with such art, allof which is generally suitable for use with the novel implementationsdetailed below.

Linking to a Card-Giver's Information

In accordance with any of the known watermarking techniques, a businesscard is steganographically encoded with plural bit data. In oneembodiment, at least part of this data identifies an internet address orweb site at which data about the giver of the card is stored. Ifsufficient bits can be encoded into the business card, ASCII or binarynumeric encoding can encode the address literally. Alternatively, toreduce the data payload, an abbreviated form of an address is encoded.One example of such an abbreviated form is a Unique Identifier (UID),which can be, e.g., a 24-bit value.

Desirably, the steganographic encoding is tailored to facilitatedecoding in the presence of arbitrary rotation or scale distortion ofthe card introduced during scanning. (Some such techniques are shown,e.g., in applicant's related patents identified above. Of course, othertechniques are known to those skilled in the art, and such techniquesmay be employed with the present invention.).

As shown in FIG. 1, the card is scanned (e.g., by use of conventionalopto-electronic devices, such as a business card reader, scanner, webcam or other sensing device). The output data is then optionallyprocessed to account for any skew or scale factor. The plural-bitdigital data is then decoded and/or stored, e.g., in personalproductivity software.

(Although not particularly shown in FIG. 1, the detailed process mayoften be supplemental to known OCR-reading of business cards, and entryof the textual data into personal productivity software. That is, thescan data may be processed both by OCR techniques, and by steganographicdecoding techniques, and the results of both operations may beselectively stored in a data structure or other memory for laterreference.).

The steganographically-decoded plural-bit data is provided to a webbrowser or other internet appliance and used to initiate a link to aremote computer over the internet's network of computers. If the remoteaddress was literally encoded in the business card, that address is useddirectly. If an abbreviated form of address was encoded, an additionalstep may be required.

If a UID was encoded in the card, rather than a literal address, the webbrowser might consult an index to correlate the UID to an address. Theindex could be a table or other data structure stored on the user'slocal computer, but more commonly is a remote name server database towhich the browser links as a default when processing business card UIDs.Data obtained from the index is then used to complete the linking to theultimate destination—e.g., a web site associated with the card-giver.(In addition to reducing the business card payload, such linking throughan index, e.g., by a UID, offers flexibility in that the ultimatedestination can be moved to other server sites as needed, with just asimple update to the index. Alternatively, all business cards encodedwith the former address would be rendered obsolete if the site wererelocated.)

At the ultimate site, in one embodiment, the card-recipient is presentedwith whatever information the business card giver chooses to provide,including biographical information, photos, promotional offers oradvertisements relating to the card-giver's business (or relating toenterprises to whom the card-giver has rented screen space), etc., etc.In one embodiment, the giver's site is linked to the giver's personalproductivity tool(s) and permits viewing, e.g., of calendar information(showing where the business card giver is scheduled to be today, or forthe rest of the week, month, etc.)

Typically, this calendar information is not available to casual webbrowsers; the steganographically decoded data from the business card mayinclude some authentication data (akin to a password) that permitsaccess to otherwise restricted data. This authentication data can takethe form of a web page address to which no publicly-accessible linkpoints, a password that is separately presented to the web server by theuser's browser after a link is established, or other known technique.

In one form of the invention, the giver of business cards may haveseveral differently-encoded cards, each with a different level of accessauthorization. Thus, some cards may access a biographical page withoutany calendar information, other cards may access the same or differentpage with access enabled to today's calendar, and still other cards mayaccess the same or different page with access enabled for thecard-giver's complete calendar. In another form of the invention, asingle card is used with all recipients, yet provides differentrecipients with different levels of access. This may be done, forexample, by providing the most limited form of access to all recipients.If a recipient desires more information, he can enter supplementalinformation (e.g., a name, email address, phone number or otherinformation) that identifies him or her. The giver of the business cardcan pre-authorize certain identified individuals to receive differentlevels of access (e.g., by setting permission levels in a calendaryprogram or otherwise). Based on the supplemental information entered bythe user, a commensurate level of access is granted. (A great variety ofother ways of granting different permissions can naturally be used; theforegoing just illustrates a range of possibilities.)

System Implementation—Including an On-line Database

An illustrative system 10 is now described with reference to FIGS. 2 and3. System 10 facilitates registration, the obtaining (or accounting of)unique identifiers, and access to additional data stored in an on-linedatabase via the watermarked business card.

FIG. 2 illustrates system 10, including a plurality of user terminals40, 41 and 42, and a central site 43. The user terminals 40, 41 and 42communicate with the central site 43 via a network, such as an internet,intranet, dedicated network, WAN, LAN, wireless network, etc. Of course,the user terminals 40, 41 and 42 may be adjacently located, or may belocated remotely with respect to one another. For example, a first userterminal 40 may be located in an office or business, while a second userterminal 41 may be located in a residence. The third terminal 42 mayeven be a remote terminal, which gains access to the network via awireless connection, remote connection, guest connection, etc. Ofcourse, system 10 will typically include many more user terminals, andmay even include a plurality of distributed servers, which collectivelyfunction as central site 43. If a plurality of distributed servers isemployed, the servers can communicate to synchronize their data.Preferably, with such a distributed server configuration, eachdistributed server may respond to individual requests.

Preferably, each of the user terminals 40, 41, 42 includes a generalpurpose or dedicated computer incorporating at least a CPU, memory,interface to an input device (e.g., web camera, business card reader,optical scanner, other sensing device, etc.), a display (or other outputdevice), and a network connection. The network connection may be used toconnect to the network to communicate with central site 43.

Of course, a user terminal may comprise a portable computing unit, suchas a personal financial assistant, portable phone, wireless imagingdevice, PocketPC, PalmPilot, PDA, etc., with associated imagingcomponents and/or wireless, cable, phone or other networking ability. Toillustrate, such units may include a miniature digital camera module,e.g., a “digital eye” or other input sensing device. Such an inputsensing device enables mobile or portable devices to capture, displayand transmit digital data (audio, images, video). The “digital eye”modules typically include a complete camera on a chip, CMOS imagingsensor, miniaturized lens, imaging software, etc.

Suitable client software programming instructions, stored in a userterminal memory, or in a remote memory, can be used to affect varioustypes of functionality for the user terminals 40, 41 and 42. Forexample, the software may include a browser or other internet navigationtool. Alternatively, the software may be a separate module or may beintegrated within a software application. In either case, the softwareinstructions help to facilitate communication between the respectiveuser terminal and the central site 43. The user terminals 40, 41 and 42preferably include software instructions to facilitate detection anddecoding of embedded data.

Central site 43 includes a computer or server (or a plurality ofinterconnected servers). As will be appreciated by those skilled in theart, these computers maintain and execute software, e.g., for hosting(and/or supporting) web pages, communication, database management, etc.Site 43 also maintains suitable software program instructions tofacilitate the system operations described herein. Of course, system 43may include a plurality of distributed central sites and a database (ordatabases). The database may be maintained under the direction of thecentral site 43, or may be remotely accessed by the central site 43.

A user (e.g., a card-giver) initiates a registration process byaccessing a website or other interface supported by central site 43,e.g., with the aid of an interface residing on a user terminal 40, 41 or42. The interface may include a dialog box, web browser, application,and/or other communication mechanism. The central site 43 maintains aseries of web pages (or other interface) to facilitate the registrationprocess. From a user's perspective, a first-time user initiallyregisters with the central site 43. The registration process may includegathering the user's contact information, selecting payment options(e.g., credit card, on-line exchange, etc.), and optionally assigning auser name (or ID) and password. As a result of the registration process,the user is assigned a unique identifier. (Of course, this assignmentmay either be perceptible or imperceptible to the user. Such anassignment will typically be associated the user (and/orusername/password) with the unique identifier.). The unique identifieris typically embedded by the central site 43 in a gallery item to beprovided to the user, along with an address (e.g., a URL, IP address,and/or UID) associated with the central site 43.

Preferably, the central site 43 maintains a plurality of gallery itemsincluding, for example, patterns, colors, graphics, shading, tints,backgrounds, logos, fonts, etc. Via the central site 43 interface, auser selects a gallery item (or items) to be applied when printing abusiness card. The selected gallery item is then digitally watermarked.The watermark includes the user's unique identifier and may include thecentral site's address (in some applications, the central site's addressis known to the decoding software without being specified on the card,or is inferred by the decoder from the identifier, e.g., identifiers inthe range of 3000-5000 are directed to www.digimarc.com/bizcards). Theselected, watermarked gallery item is provided to the user, e.g., viae-mail, downloaded, etc., from the central site 43.

The selected, watermarked gallery item is then used in a typicalprinting process. For example, a watermarked background item is used asa card's background when printing a business card. Consider thefollowing applications. A watermarked background item is provided foruse with printing software (e.g., Quark Express, Microsoft Word, AdobeAcrobat, etc., etc.). The software incorporates the background item in aparticular custom business card design. The resulting cards are printed(e.g., from a home computer system or commercial printer).Alternatively, an electronic version of the watermarked background itemis supplied to a commercial printer (e.g., copy store, office supplystore, printer, etc.). The printer applies the watermarked background tothe card during the printing processes. The resulting business cardsinclude the watermarked background.

Preferably, the user provides information to an on-line informationaldatabase, associated with the central site 43. This process may occurduring the initial registration process via the web pages or userinterface. Or the user may later access the database with ausername/password. As a further alternative, the user is provided withaccess data that is used to access the database. The access data mayinclude embedded data having appropriate identifiers and authorizations,and may even be embedded into a document, such as a “master” businesscard or other item (e.g., a watermarked driver's license, or key chain).The master business card can then be read by a compliant reader (e.g., auser terminal), which uses the embedded data to access the database oruser interface. In one embodiment, central site 43 maintains thedatabase. In another embodiment, central site 43 links (or providesredirection data) a user and/or card recipient to a remotely accesseddatabase.

Upon access to the on-line database, the user may enter data. The datamay include business contact information, personal data, current (or“now”) contact numbers, etc. This now contact number can be continuallyupdated throughout the day (either by the user, or in accordance with aprogrammed calendar) with the then-most-suitable communications channelto contact the user (card-giver). When the user leaves home to go to theoffice, or leaves the office for a trip in the car, or works a week at acorporate office in another town, etc., this data field can be updatedaccordingly. (A pocket GPS receiver, with a wireless uplink, can becarried by the person to aid in switching the “now” number among variouspossibilities, depending on the user's instantaneous position.). The nownumber may also include an “Out-of-Office” or a “currently-unavailable”setting, which allows a user to indicate that they are away from theoffice. Such a setting may also include redirection information, such aswhen the user will return, whom to contact in the user's absence, etc.When this on-line database is polled for the “now” number, it providesthe then-current information.

The user data can also include pictures, resumes, corporate or personalweb links, graphics, PDF versions of brochures, logos, etc. Of course,this information may be updated as needed. Optionally, the user providesaudio/visual data, such as audio and/or video clips (e.g., digitalfiles). The clips may include greetings, further information, contactinformation, personalized messages, virtual tours, mission statements,etc. Alternatively, the user may enter pointers or links to suchaudio/visual data. As a further alternative, system 10 may allow a userto input a “redirect” address (e.g., a URL), which is then associated bysystem 10 with the user's unique identifier. System 10 then redirectsany card-recipients to the redirect address when selected (orautomatically upon access to the central site 43). Of course, the usercan turn on/off the redirect address, and/or update the redirect addressas needed.

The system may optionally support translation and/or pronunciationtools. To illustrate, the central site 43 may optionally allow aregistered user to provide an audio and/or video clip to demonstrate thecorrect pronunciation of their name, business and/or other personal datato card recipients (or other persons who gain access). The system mayalso optionally include automated translation and pronunciationfunctionality (e.g., audio synthesis, wave files, digital speech, etc.),which can be provided to a card recipient.

Watermarked business cards are distributed in a typical fashion. Afterreceipt, a card recipient presents the embedded card to an associatedinput device of a recipient's terminal 45, as shown in FIG. 3. (Ofcourse, a recipient's terminal 45 may include components and softwarelike those discussed above with respect to the user terminals 40, 41 and42. In one embodiment, the user terminals may be used as a recipientterminal. Of course system 10 may include many such recipientterminals.). The embedded data is extracted by decoding software runningon the recipient's terminal 45. Preferably, as discussed above, theextracted data includes the card-giver's unique identifier and, in somecases, an electronic address. In one embodiment, the address is a URLcorresponding to the central site 43. In other embodiments, therecipient terminal 45 is provided with software that always looks to aprogrammed, default address. Or a protocol is established by which thedecoder can locally look-up the identifier in a data structure anddetermine an address to which the identifier should be sent (e.g.,identifiers in the range 3000-5000 are sent towww.digimarc.com/bizcards). The software interface (e.g., browser) isredirected to the address, and the extracted unique identifier isprovided to the central site 43.

Upon receipt of a recipient's request, the central site 43 indexes theon-line database via the provided unique identifier. At this point, thecard recipient can access the respective user's data via web pages (orother interface) supported by central site 43. Preferably, some or allof the user's data is electronically available (e.g., via download,e-mail, etc.) in a standardized format, such as in a vCard or ASCIIfile. The term vCard is used generally herein to include electronicfiles or standardized formats of digital information. In one example, avCard is a standardized format which allows a card recipient toseamlessly incorporate the electronic data into her softwareappointment/contact manager, such as in Microsoft's Outlook application,etc. In another example, a vCard is a virtual card that includes agreeting, data or other message. A vCard may include a “hot” URL, whichallows a card-recipient to link to the card-giver's website. (Instead ofaccessing the central site, presentation of the card can cause a remotecomputer to dispatch an e-mail to the card-recipient's terminal (e.g.,addressed per e-mail address data transmitted to the central site withthe card-recipient's request). This e-mail can contain the userinformation described above, or any of the information detailed below.Functionality detailed below can be invoked by a card-recipient throughactivating a hyperlink included in the e-mail sent to thecard-recipient's terminal. Alternatively, instead of accessing thecard-giver data in a database or website, presentation of the card canopen an instant message dialog channel with the recipient (a channelwhich may convey video and audio, as well as text). Again, informationand functionality described above and below can be presented to thecard-recipient through this channel.

In another embodiment, a card-giver up-loads a vCard into the database,to help simplify data entry. The vCard can be uploaded in a number ofknow methods, including drag-and-drop, file transfer, cut-and-paste,copy, etc. Or an extension may be added to a software productivitymanager, such as Microsoft's Outlook, to facilitate such transfer.

The card recipient may also select from a plurality of options providedby the central site 43. (Of course, the following options may beprovided as standard or optional features.). As a first option, therecipient selects a contact channel for the respective user(card-giver). For example, an e-mail link may be selected, which willlaunch an e-mail program on the recipient's terminal. As anotherexample, a “now” contact channel is selected and the card-giver'sdefined “now” channel is activated (e.g., a phone number is dialed, ane-mail application is launched, a video link is established, a pagernumber is called, a radio frequency channel is activated, a personalcomputing assistant is pinged, etc.). In one embodiment, acard-recipient leaves her own “calling card” in the form of a link (orvCard, message, etc.) to her own central-site (or other) account. Forexample, the card-recipient brings up the card-giver's account (in anyof the methods discussed above), and then flashes (e.g., presents to anoptical scanner or other input device) her own card. System 10 storesthe link to the card-recipient's account (e.g., data associated with thecard-recipient's unique identifier). An e-mail alert (or othercommunication) is automatically sent by system 10 to the card ownerstating that a calling card has been left and can be picked up any time.The card-giver, upon access to system 10, can check a mailbox or recentmessage area to retrieve the message. Or the calling card, vCard, orlink to the card-recipient's account can be included in the e-mail orother communications.

The central site 43 may support one or more “hot” buttons. A hot buttonis preferably a link or shortcut to a communications channel, website orIP address. For example, an e-mail hot button can be selected by acard-recipient, which launches an e-mail program. (In one embodiment, ane-mail program resident on the card-recipient's terminal is launched. Inanother, the e-mail program is maintained by central site, which thecard-recipient interfaces with.). Selecting other hot buttons may invokea phone call, video conference, fax, voice mail (e.g., calling a voicemailbox or recording and/or uploading an audio file for delivery to thecard-giver), pager, and/or GPS locator.

A card recipient may select to listen or view the card-giver'saudio/visual files, or to activate the translation and/or pronunciationfiles. Such files are transferred (or streamed) to the card recipient'sterminal for performance via a multimedia player. Of course, such aplayer may be an independent application, or may be integrated with abrowser or other tool. Alternatively, the card recipient selects a linkto another location (via a pointer or link). The files are retrieved oraccessed at this other location.

The card recipient may request that a “tickler” be sent when therespective card-giver updates her on-line data. There can be variouslevels of gradation to trigger such a tickle. For example, the recipientcan be notified (e.g., via e-mail, phone-messaging, and/or mail, etc.)when a standard contact field (address, e-mail, etc.) is changed.Alternatively, the card recipient is tickled when any informationchanges, including the “now” contact number.

The card recipient may select an option to expedite contact with thecard-giver in the future (e.g., the next time the card recipient holdsthe business card up to their compliant device). For example, the cardrecipient may request that instead of accessing the data in the on-linedatabase, a contact channel be opened. To accomplish this, a cookie orother data structure may be stored locally on the recipient's terminal45. The cookie or data structure identifies the user (via the user'sunique identifier) and also the recipient (e.g., via an identifier orlast-session identifier). Such data is provided to the central site 43the next time the card recipient accesses the central site 43 via therecipient's terminal 45. The central site 43 examines the data anddetermines that, instead of viewing the user's data, the recipientwishes to activate a contact channel (e-mail, phone number, etc.).Optionally, the recipient is queried to confirm her choice (e.g., adialog box which asks the recipient whether they want to access thedatabase, or activate the communications channel.). Of course, locallystoring extracted identifiers in an “immediate contact list,” and thencomparing a currently extracted user identifier to the immediate contactlist can be used to carry out this same process. This same result isachieved by assigning the card recipient a username and/or password,which is examined by the central site 43. An immediate contact list canbe associated with the username/password to determine access to thedatabase, or to launch a communications channel.

A card-recipient may also register with the central site 43. Uponregistration, the card-recipient is given a username/password (or isallowed to select such). (In another embodiment, the card-recipient isgiven embedded data, which is applied to a printed document or item.)The username/password (and embedded data) can be used to access thecentral site in the future. For example, if the card-recipient loses abusiness card, or does not have access to a respective, downloadedvCard, the card-recipient “logs-on” to the central site and searches fora particular name. (In this case, the central site supports a namesearch functionality using known database search/index techniques.).Permissions levels can be established to prevent a card-recipient fromunauthorized perusing. To illustrate, a card-recipient may only accessthose files (e.g., card-giver accounts), which she has already accessedvia an embedded business card. Or a card-recipient is only permittedaccess to a minimum level of information, such as name, contact numberor e-mail.

System 10 generates many benefits, such as the ability to enhancefunctionality of business cards, change on-line data while static dataon a business card remains the same, simplifying contact processes, andlinking to related information. Centralizing the data in an on-linedatabase also provides efficiency and security. These and other benefitsare readily apparent from the description in this document.

ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS

As an alternative implementation, a representative, administrator, oroffice supplier may handle the registration process, instead of theuser. Such an administrator may represent a variety of users and havespecial access privileges. For example, a print shop or office suppliermay contact the central site 43 on a user's behalf, to obtain awatermarked gallery item. Optionally, the print shop or office suppliermay also to enter the user's data into the online database. Similarly,an organization or business may complete the registration process forits members or employees, and thereafter control database entry.Organizational control may be advantageous in that a position (e.g.,purchasing agent, sales person, technical position) may be updated toreflect personnel changes, organizational restructuring, etc. Controlcan also be important to organizations, in that terminated employees canbe removed from association with the company. Such control also allows acompany to maintain brand and image control. For example, a highly“brand-sensitive” company may not want its employees to be able to addnon-brand related content to the contact site. Accordingly, the companycan control the content associated with an employee's unique identifier.

Whereas the above system implementation has been described with respectto business cards, the present invention is not so limited. In fact,many other watermarked documents may be used to accomplish the samefunctionality via the system 10 architecture. Consider envelopes,letterhead, note pages (e.g., Post-It brand notes) and stationary. Auser may similarly register and obtain a gallery item to apply to such.A card recipient, upon receipt of these types of watermarked documents,presents the respective document to a compliant terminal in the mannerdiscussed above. Access to the on-line data repository is similarlyachieved. (Corporations too, may want to have these types of itemslinked to general contact or company information.).

Now consider a resume. A potential employee may submit watermarkedresumes to a plurality of potential employers. The potential employeeadds impressive data to the linked on-line database, including, forexample, audio or video clips, to be viewed by potential employers. Apotential employee may even custom design the information for anindividual employer by sending the employer a resume embedded with acorresponding, specific unique identifier. The employer, upon access tothe on-line data via the encoded resume, is greeted with specific andtargeted data. (A business card may even replace a resume, in that thebibliographic information is easily accessible on-line via the encodedbusiness card.).

Encoded labels may also be used with system 10. For example, printedmailing/shipping labels may be encoded with an identifier, which is usedto link to associated information (e.g., sender, addressee, corporateinformation, product information, etc.). Such an encoded label could beused with packaging to augment a shipping manifest, shipping label,product and handling instructions, etc. For shipments without externalmarkings, the encoded label could provide a means to determine thepackage's content. Moreover, such an encoded label may be used to tracka package throughout a distribution system.

Of course, other documents, such as stickers, brochures, appointmentcards, etc. may be encoded in a similar manner, and implemented withsystem 10.

As a further alternative, a user need not select a gallery item, but mayinstead present her own document to be watermarked. The user's documentitself is then embedded with data, which can then be reprinted. Forexample, a user presents a business card to an optical scanner. Theoptical scanner captures an electronic copy of the business card. Theelectronic copy is then watermarked (e.g., by subtle alterations to thetext or graphics already present) and returned to the user for printingand distribution. (The watermarking may be accomplished via the centralsite 43, or via software maintained by a user terminal, whichcommunicates with the central site 43 to assign or register a uniqueuser identifier.). Of course the watermark survives the printingprocess, and is reproduced when the watermarked, electronic copy isprinted. Since, a unique identifier is assigned to the user's document,the user may then access the on-line database for data entry associatedwith the unique identifier.

Similarly, a further embodiment allows a user to submit an electroniccard image to a watermarking professional, who embeds the image with theunique identifier (and, optionally, with an electronic address). Thewatermarking professional can then either return the watermarked,electronic card image to the user or send the card image directly to aprinter for printing. In this case, the professional preferablycommunicates (either before, during or after embedding) with the centralsite to facilitate the association of a unique user identifier with theuser. Alternatively, upon an initial access to the central site, theidentifier is extracted and registered, and the user is then permittedto enter data.

As even a further embodiment, system 10 supports a model wherein aprofessional designs a document (e.g., business card), potentiallyincluding artwork (e.g., graphics, text, shading, background, etc.),which document is specifically supportive of digital watermarks. Thedocument is then watermarked with a unique identifier as discussedabove.

In one embodiment, a card-recipient maintains a visual database of eachcard-giver accessed via the on-line database. To illustrate, acard-recipient, upon access to the on-line database, may download avisual icon (e.g., a digital image of the card-giver, a company logo,graphic, etc.) associated with a card-giver. The icons serve as ashortcut to the card-giver's data. The card-giver's data (e.g., vCard,unique identifier, perhaps encrypted for protections, and/or other data)may be stored locally, or may be accessed via the on-line database. Suchicons may be stored in a file, folder, or on a computer's desktopenvironment.

A card-giver, in one embodiment, may choose to have her e-mail forwardedto the on-line database. (The database may manage the e-mail in anaccount associated with the card-giver's unique identifier.). Thecard-giver may then access the on-line database (e.g., via a her ownwatermarked business card or a master business card) to retrieve here-mail. This allows a traveler to easily access her e-mail when on theroad, upon the presentment of her business card to a compliant device.(Kiosks may be set-up, in airports, travel hubs, coffee shops,convention centers, offices, corporate sites, etc., to provideadditional compliant devices for such travelers.).

The central site 43 and/or online database can be configured to allow auser to be associated with a plurality of different data sets. Forexample, a business card may include two unique identifiers, each ofwhich triggers a separate response. A first identifier may be includedon a front side of a business card, while a second identifier isincluded on the backside of the card. The first identifier links tobusiness data, while the second identifier may link to personal data,corporate data, and/or industry data, etc. From the perspective of thedatabase, the user may be assigned separate identifiers to accomplishthe separate responses, or the identifiers may be linked as subsets to auser's main profile. Alternatively, a user may carry several differentlywatermarked cards, each linked to separate information in the on-linedatabase.

Another variation included within the scope of the present invention isa distributed system. For example, instead of storing data in a centralsite (or a plurality of central sites), user data may be distributed ormaintained in alternative locations. To illustrate, a card-giver maymaintain related data (e.g., contact information, audio/video clips,links, etc.) on her own client system (or on a designated system).Software resident on a recipient or user terminal may then query alook-up router to obtain an appropriate address (e.g., one correspondingto the extracted unique identifier) to access for the card-giver'srelated data. (In this case, a user may initially query the look-uprouter to obtain an appropriate unique identifier. In one embodiment,the user's address is the unique identifier.). Upon receipt of theaddress, the software accesses to the indicated site (or terminal). As afurther alternative, the watermark itself includes sufficient encodedaddress information so that the decoding software (and/or communicationssoftware) can link to the client system without needing to query acentral site or look-up router. (In this case, the user's address mayserve as a unique identifier, which can be embedded by client softwareon the user's terminal.). Of course, such modifications are within thescope of the present invention.

CONCLUSION

The reference to business cards is illustrative only. Of course, theinvention is more widely applicable. Going back a century, “callingcards” were used by persons whose interests were strictly social, ratherthan business. The principles of the present invention can similarly beapplied. Teenagers can carry small cards (or adhesive stickers) that canbe exchanged with new acquaintances to grant access to private dossiersof personal information/favorite music/artwork/video clips/etc., toinvoke instant message communications, or any other purpose. The cardscan be decorated with art or other indicia that can serve purposeswholly unrelated to the linking data steganographically encoded therein.Additionally, a calling card may even be blank (e.g., no text or obviousgraphic), while still carrying encoded data in the background,texturing, or shading. Or the card may have a one word identifier orgraphic to identify the card-giver.

Even the “card” paradigm is too restrictive. The same techniques can beapplied to any object. A music CD cover can be encoded to point to apromotional site associated with the music artist. A book jacket canlink to a similar site. Printed advertising distributed through the USmail (cards, magazines, etc.) can be encoded to point to relatedweb-based promotional sites. (Sponsors of such advertising or othersites can reward visits to their internet site by issuing cardrecipients digital tokens or coupons that can be redeemed for premiums,cash-back, etc., either for any such visit, or only if the visit waseffected through the portal of a steganographically-encoded printedmedium.).

Many contexts arise in which data to be presented to a consumer isvaluable only if timely. The postal service mail is ill-suited for somesuch information due to the latency between printing a document, and itsultimate delivery to a recipient. The principles of the presentinvention allow the recipient to take a steganographically-encoded dataobject (card, etc.) that was printed well before delivery, and use it onreceipt to receive up-to-the-minute information. (In this and otherembodiments, the steganographically-encoded data can also include datauniquely identifying the recipient/user, so the web site can presentdata customized to that user.)

The present technology also has application in access control systems.An identification badge (either with photo or graphics, or with textalone) can be encoded with steganographically access control data (e.g.,access codes or digital keys) that is recognized byoptical-scanner-equipped locks and the like, permitting access byauthorized persons to restricted areas or restricted services (e.g.,computer privileges). Given the low cost of media and printing (ascompared with other access control technologies), the cards can beissued on a daily, weekly, or other frequent interval, and the accesscontrol system can be programmed to permit access in response to suchcards only for the pre-set limited period. Lost cards soon lose theirthreat.

Tickets to sporting events, concerts, and other events can besteganographically encoded to permit the bearer to access premium webcontent available only to those who have purchased tickets (e.g., anon-line text-, audio-, or video-chat session with the featured performeror sports star the day before the event). Alternatively, the encodeddata may link to a transactional site. In some such embodiments, theticket is printed with a nominal show data and seat assignment, but alsoincludes a UID in addition to the encoded address of an associatedtransactional ticket site. The user then can visit the transactional website to change seating (or date). On attending the event, the consumerpresents the ticket to a steganographic decoder apparatus that discernsthe UID and looks up the seat assignment most-recently picked by theconsumer. It then prints a chit entitling the consumer to take the seatearlier selected on-line.

The reference to “scanning” of objects naturally brings to mind imagesof desktop flatbed scanners, or multi-function hydra devices. While suchdevices can be used—together with convention digital cameras (includingvideo cameras)—the inventors foresee that image input devices will soonbe much more commonplace. The provision of digital cameras as built-incomponents of certain computers (e.g., the Sony Vaio laptops) is justone manifestation of this trend. Another is camera-on-a-chip systems, astypified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,126 and detailed in Nixon et al.,“256×256 CMOS Active Pixel Sensor Camera-on-a-Chip,” IEEE J. Solid-StateCircuits, Vol. 31(12), pp. 2046-2051 (1996), and Fossum, “CMOS ImageSensors Electronic Camera-on-a-Chip,” IEEE Transactions of ElectronDevices, vol. 44, No. 10, October 1997. Still another is head-mountedcameras (as are presently used in some computer-augmented visionsystems). Another is a camera module for mobile phones that use a CCDimage sensor. Such camera often feature low electric power consumption,and high sensitivity. Another is a wristwatch with an image sensor.These and other image input devices could all be used in connection withthe present invention.

To facilitate embodiments of the present invention, a prior artcamera-on-a-chip system can be modified to also include a steganographicwatermark detector on the same semiconductor substrate. Such a chip—inaddition to providing image output data—can also analyze the image datato discern any steganographically encoded data, and producecorresponding output data. (Again, such analysis desirably includescorrection for scale and rotation factors, so precise positioning of theobject being “read” is not essential for correct decoding.).

To provide a comprehensive disclosure without unduly lengthening thisspecification, applicants incorporate by reference the patents,applications, and publications identified above.

Having described and illustrated the principles of our invention withreference to illustrative embodiments, it should be recognized that theinvention is not so limited.

For example, while certain of the embodiments were illustrated withreference to an internet-based embodiment, the same techniques aresimilarly applicable to any other computer-based system. For example,the central server does not necessarily need to be on the internet.Within a company, such central site may be available via an intranet orother network. Watermark documents or objects (e.g., an ID or securitybadge) may be used for access to specific documents or access tospecific locations or services within the company's facilities. Also,for internet-based embodiments, the use of web browsers and web pages isnot essential; other digital navigation devices and other on-line datarepositories can be similarly accessed.

While steganographic encoding of the digital data is used in thepreferred embodiments, visible forms of digital encoding—such as barcodes or alphanumeric codes—can naturally be employed where aestheticconsiderations permit.

Although not belabored, artisans will understand that the registration,watermarking, detecting and other operations can be performed inaccordance with software instructions stored in a computer memory (orlibrary) or on other storage media, and executed by a processor in thecomputer as needed. (Alternatively, dedicated hardware, or programmablelogic circuits, can be employed for such operations.).

The above section headers (e.g., “System Implementation”) provide nosubstantive limitations. Rather, the section headers are merely providedfor the reader's convenience. Of course, elements discussed in onesection can be combined with those in another section, and so forth.

In view of the many embodiments to which the principles of our inventionmay be applied, it should be recognized that the detailed embodimentsare illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope ofour invention. Rather, we claim as our invention all such embodiments asfall within the scope and spirit of the following claims, andequivalents thereto.

1. An apparatus comprising: an image sensor configured to capture imagedata, wherein the image sensor captures the image data while theapparatus is worn or attached to a human; an analyzer configured to:analyze the captured image data; determine plural-bit identifiers forone or more objects represented in the captured image data; and correctfor distortion in the image data; an output configured to communicate adetermined plural-bit identifier to a remotely located network resource;and an input configured to receive advertising information associatedwith the determined plural-bit identifier.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the analyzer further comprises a machine-readable indiciadetector.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plural-bitidentifiers are carried by machine-readable indicia on objects.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the plural-bit identifiers are carried bydigital watermarking, wherein the digital watermarking is conveyedthrough alterations to data on or in objects.
 5. A method comprising:capturing image data, using an image sensor worn or attached to a human;analyzing the captured image data to determine plural-bit identifiersfor one or more objects represented in the captured image data, whereinthe analyzing comprises correcting for distortion in the image data;communicating a determined plural-bit identifier to a remotely locatednetwork resource; and receiving advertising information associated withthe determined plural-bit identifier.
 6. The method of claim 5, whereinthe analyzing comprises detecting machine-readable indicia.
 7. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the plural-bit identifiers are carried withmachine-readable indicia on objects.
 8. The method of claim 5, whereinthe plural-bit identifiers are carried with digital watermarking onobjects.
 9. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprisinginstructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device,cause the computing device to perform operations comprising: capturingimage data, using an image sensor worn or attached to a human; analyzingthe captured image data to determine plural-bit identifiers for one ormore objects represented in the captured image data, wherein theanalyzing comprises correcting for distortion in the image data;communicating a determined plural-bit identifier to a remotely locatednetwork resource; and receiving advertising information associated withthe determined plural-bit identifier.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the captured image data comprises video.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 4, wherein the captured image data comprises video.
 12. The methodof claim 5, wherein the captured image data comprises video.
 13. Themethod of claim 8, wherein the captured image data comprises video. 14.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is operating tocapture image data.
 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analyzeris operating to analyze captured image data.